Bluestone’s plans for Blackpool Mill rejected

Bluestone’s plans for Blackpool Mill rejected

PLANS to turn Blackpool Mill into a heritage tourism destination were turned down by members of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park at a meeting on Wednesday (Nov 8).

The Park’s Development Management Committee met to discuss the application which would have seen the Mill transformed with new events barn and light narrow gauge steam railway at a cost of £2.5m.

However, the plans were recommended for refusal by Park officers who stated that insufficient information had been submitted with the application.

Bluestone were even taken by surprise that the application had been placed on the agenda for Wednesday’s meeting after they had said that an amended application would have been submitted by the end of this month.

The Park’s officers stated that they had a duty to determine the application and the refusal allows Bluestone to come back with a fresh application.

The agent for the application, Mr Robin Williams, made a late plea asking the committee to defer the application but that was not supported.

Mr Williams added: “We have been engaging with officers in relation to ecology and highway issues. Significant progress has been made in this regard. The ecology season has just ended and we have been putting a report together which is anticipated to be completed in the next two weeks.

“We have been in regular contact with officers working towards a mid-November resubmission deadline and this came as a total surprise to find this report being presented today.

“We are confident that the reasons for refusal will be dealt with in our resubmission. Such an important application should be focussed on up to date information.

“Since the application was first considered, the membership of the committee has changed and the new members have yet to visit the site.”

Speaking against the application, Mrs Valerie Bradley said: “I’ve lived by Blackpool Mill for almost half a century and many of us have enjoyed the picturesque, unspoilt oasis full of wildlife and a stunning example of rural Pembrokeshire.

“I completely agree with the objections of Llawhaden Community Council and the concerns expressed by the National Park’s Ecologist.

“This proposal is a theft. Does Blackpool Mill have special qualities? Yes it does. Will there be light pollution? Yes there will. Biodiversity under this proposal will not be protected and it is not a sustainable design.

“It will fall out of favour and never be restored to its original beautiful state. It will not be an amenity; it will be a cheap eye-sore. It will destroy the local environment.

“The potential calendar of events is no more than a ghastly wish list and do we really need another petting zoo? As the proposal is a poor imitation of other similar established local venues I can imagine a brief life span.

“Sadly, Blackpool Mill is an easy target for in-principle development. Nathaniel Phillips, who built the Georgian Mill, would be turning in his grave.

“This proposal for a Victorian fish and chip shop, massively ugly events barn and meaningless railway and to fence it off with chain link fencing would do credit to Donald Trump.

“The Mill may be closed but it is most emphatically not unloved.”

It was mentioned that a previous site visit had been postponed and Mr Ted Sangster proposed that the application be deferred and that a site visit also be taken out but that was only supported by two other members with 11 voting against.

Mr Sangster added he was disappointed that they had not had the opportunity to visit the site and said he was also disappointed that there had been a lack of communication stating that the National Park had ‘jumped the gun’.

Cllr Michael Williams said that the site visit would be the worst possible outcome because there was no guarantee that the reports would come in the short term, adding: “We’ve got to determine it as it is. There are so many outstanding issues and this is an extremely sensitive site.”

It was also proposed that the application be refused and that was supported by 11 votes with three voting against.

Liz Weedon, Head of Projects at Bluestone, said: “Today members were pressed to make a planning decision in the full knowledge that additional information was to be presented to the authority within two weeks. As this meeting was brought forward by six weeks, we had no choice but to formally seek a deferral. Members voted against this and instead took advice to refuse the application, on the understanding that Bluestone would have the opportunity to resubmit within 12 months.

“We had been in regular contact with officers since May, thus it was a total surprise to us when without forewarning the application was scheduled for today’s meeting. We are confident that had the committee date not been brought forward, we would have been able to submit the responses that would have dealt with the draft reasons for refusal by officers.

“Decisions to approve or refuse any planning application should not be made without all of the facts.”

4.4 magnitude earthquake felt across Wales

AN earthquake of 4.4 magnitude has been felt across Wales and England this afternoon (Feb 17).

There are numerous reports of the earthquake being felt across west Wales, including Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

The earthquake originated near Swansea, where it is was felt strongest, at around 2:30pm.

However, the earthquake was felt across Wales, and many parts of England.

The EMSC, an independent monitor of earthquakes, said: “Latest update of the effects of the #earthquake in #Swansea region. Was felt up to 300 km from epicentre.”

Dyfed-Powys Police received many reports about the incident, but said that there was no need for concern, and that they felt it themselves in their control room.

The police force said: “We are receiving an extremely high call volume reporting some sort of earth tremor in the area – we are receiving reports from across the whole of Wales (we felt it in our control room too!). For now – it is unexplained – but there is nothing to worry about.”

Haverfordwest: Man who died in collision with lorry named

A 43-YEAR-OLD man has died following a collision between two vehicles on one of the busiest roads in Haverfordwest yesterday evening (Feb 15).

The crash, involving a milk tanker and a blue scooter, sadly resulted in the death of the scooter driver. He has been named by Dyfed-Powys Police as Mark Waite from Pembroke Dock

Senior Investigating Officer PC Rob Muckle, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said: “We are appealing for witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision between a milk tanker and a motorcycle – a blue scooter – in the centre of Haverfordwest.

“The collision happened at Salutation Square at approximately 4.30pm yesterday (Thursday, 15 February). Sadly, the 43-year-old motorcyclist died at the scene. His next of kin has been informed; our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.

“We know both vehicles had been travelling in to Haverfordwest town from the direction of Scotchwell roundabout.

“Anyone who was travelling along this road around the time, or saw the collision, is asked to contact Pembrokeshire Roads Policing Unit by calling 101, quoting reference 228.”

Following the accident, the A4076 Freemen’s Way was closed to all vehicles, and there was subsequent congestion on the nearby A40 and A487 roads into the evening.

The incident happened shortly after 4:30pm and the road was closed for several hours as Dyfed-Powys Police officers investigated the scene.

The Welsh Ambulance Service told The Herald: “We were called at approximately 4.40pm to reports of a road traffic accident where a lorry had collided with a moped.

“We sent one emergency ambulance and one advanced paramedic practitioner to the scene. We left the scene at approximately 7.15pm.”

The crash resulted in a lot of congestion in and around Haverfordwest as rush hour traffic slowed.

Man jailed after failing to pay £208k fine for illegal scrap yard

A MAN has been jailed after failing to pay a fine of £208,000 for running an illegal scrap metal business in Carew.

On May 24, 2017, the court made a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act ordering George Jones to pay a sum of £208,000.

To date, no payments have been made under this order, so yesterday (Feb 15) George Jones was taken back into court for a PoCA enforcement hearing.

On the basis of this, the magistrates issued a warrant of commitment and Jones was taken into custody to serve the default sentence of 30 months.

Between June 2011 and May 2012 an investigation was carried out into the running of an illegal scrap metal business and the illegal storage of scrap metal and other waste materials on three different plots of land at Carew Airfield, Pembrokeshire.

The three sites in question are known as the Northern Yard, The Workshop Area and the Scrapyard Area.

Danger to water-source: Waste could have polluted drinking water

The defendants involved in the case were:

George Jones – the legal tenant for all three plots of land since the late 1990s, although he held no environmental permit or exemptions for the period of the investigation.

Enviroventure Ltd – occupier of the Scrapyard area since its incorporation in 2002 and holders of an ELV (End of Life Vehicles) Environmental Permit for part of the scrap yard area. They also had numerous exemptions registered at the Workshop Area and the Scrapyard area. They were occupiers of the land until liquidated in December 2011.

Nenning Jones – the sole Director for Enviroventure Ltd (and son of George Jones) Said to have been in charge of operations at the Scrapyard and Northern Yard between June 1, 2011 and December, 22 2011 when the company was liquidated.

Jennifer May Frearson – sole director of GJF Recycling Ltd (partner of George Jones). The company was incorporated on August 25, 2011 and received money for scrap metal since September 2011 for the sale of scrap metal arising from the Scrapyard area in Carew. There were no environmental permits in her name or that of GJF Recycling Ltd, exemptions were registered in the name of GJF Recycling Ltd for the Scrapyard area and Workshop area in February 2012, however these exemptions were not complied with.

All admitted or were found guilty after a trial of operating a scrap metal facility without a permit, duty of care offences and failing to keep adequate records.

Environment Agency Officers carried out site visits between May and October 2011 and found numerous breaches of the ELV permit held for the Scrapyard area.

This involved the depollution of vehicles on site which did not have the required infrastructure to do so; inappropriate storage of batteries; drainage issues; areas of the site where bunding and concrete was not being maintained.

Waste materials such as tyres, waste vehicles and oil drums were also observed being stored outside of the permitted area. Numerous oil spillages were also observed on site.

Waste tyres, scrap metal and general skip waste were also stored at the Workshop and Northern Yard areas without an environmental permit and outside the terms and conditions of any registered exemptions.

Approximately £660,000 was paid in cash to Enviroventure Ltd for sale of scrap metal originating from the Scrapyard for the period when they did not hold an environmental permit or exemption to operate a general scrapyard from the site and for the sale of scrap vehicles when they were not compliant with their ELV permit.

A total of 20 charges were brought against Enviroventure Ltd and Nenning Jones combined for offences relating to operating outside the terms of an environmental permit and also operating and knowingly causing / permitting the operation of a regulated facility without the benefit of an environmental permit between 1 June, 2011 and December 31, 2011.

Following the original court case, Martyn Evans, NRW’s Head of Operations South West Wales, said: “We hope the outcome of this case will send out a positive message to the waste industry, that Natural Resources Wales supports legitimate business and will not tolerate those who seek to profit by breaking the law, risking harm to local communities or damaging the environment.

“The motivation behind the crime was financial. The site did not have the necessary permissions and consequently the infrastructure to protect the environment and it undercut legitimate permitted sites.

“Disposing of waste illegally can harm the environment and undermines businesses that invest in the required measures.

“It is essential that we take action in such cases to protect people and the environment, as well as safeguarding the market place for those operators who do comply with the law.”